Elton John and Britney Spears have shared the music video for their recent collaborative single, ‘Hold Me Closer’, and revealed the details for three CD single releases.
The video, shot on location in Mexico City, takes advantage of the locale’s vibrant aesthetic, with shots prominently featuring buildings painted in bold primary colours. It follows multiple pairs of dancers engaging in unique choreography, all of which lead to the dancers embracing and colliding in various ways. It was directed by award-winning filmmaker Tanu Muino, who has previously helmed clips for Lil Nas X, Harry Styles, Cardi B, Yungblud, Lizzo and more.
In a press release, Muino said: “This was an emotional one for me as I grew up with Britney. After seeing [the clip for ‘I’m A Slave 4 U’], I decided that I wanted to become a video director. Elton John is an icon that I and the world grew up listening to.
“Going into this video, I knew there would be a lot of emotional expectations the audience and fans would have. With this responsibility, I had to do something different and unexpected. The visuals had to be different. The dance had to be forward-thinking to raise eyebrows and make Elton and Britney proud.
“To capture this magic, we shot around all my favorite architectural locations in Mexico City and brought on choreographer Jacob Jonas who does the best contemporary choreography today. Getting the best dancers, crew, and access to some of the most private locations in the world was simple as everyone wanted to work with Elton John and be part of his legacy.”
Have a look at the video below:
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‘Hold Me Closer’ – a mash-up of John’s earlier hits ‘Tiny Dancer’ (1972), ‘The One’ (1992) and ‘Don’t Go Breaking My Heart’ (1976) – was initially released a month ago. It marked Spears’ first new song in six years, and her first release since being released from her controversial 13-year conservatorship last year.
The collaboration was confirmed earlier in August, and followed multiple claims that the pair were “secretly recording” a new version of John’s 1972 single ‘Tiny Dancer’. Days before it was officially released, John surprised diners in a restaurant in Cannes by having the establishment’s DJs play the song while he sung over it.
Announced today (September 27) are a trio of collectible CDs for the single, each sporting a unique cover art and tracklisting. One version will feature the same cover as the single’s digital release – photos of Spears and John as children – and have the original single accompanied by an extended version.
The covers for the other two CDs were voted on by fans. One features an illustration (by James Hillier) of John playing a piano while Spears poses next to him, while the other (designed by Vinni Amaro) replicates the original cover in a new, time-bending amalgamation of both photos. That CD will feature a Purple Disco Machine remix of ‘Hold Me Closer’, while Hillier’s will feature a remix by Joel Corry. All three CDs can be pre-ordered here.
Earlier this month, Spears said that it’s unlikely she’ll ever perform live again after past experiences left her “traumatised”. It followed a 22-minute voice memo that she posted at the end of August, opening up about her conservatorship and the way her life has changed since it came to an end last year.
Meanwhile, Disney have announced that John’s last-ever performance in the US – a third consecutive show at Los Angeles’ Dodger Stadium – will be streamed live on Disney+ on November 20.
Earlier this week, too, the artist was awarded a National Humanities Medal by US president Joe Biden.